Chuck Schumer, literal buzzkill

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Mar 15, 2024 View in browser   By Daniella Diaz and Ursula Perano Presented by With assists from POLITICO’s Congress team It’s gotten to the point that you might just call him Chief Schumer of the Fun Police. | Jonah Elkowitz for POLITICO THE KIDS AREN’T ALRIGHT Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has come out as a critic of some of America’s trendiest indulgences. It’s gotten to the point that you might just call him Chief Schumer of the Fun Police. Now don’t take this the wrong way: We at Inside Congress understand why Schumer, a traditionalist who is famously loyal to his flip phone, has come out against these newfangled things. But we do find it interesting that he’s willing to butt heads with products that are beloved by young Americans — and by extension, young voters. Here’s three hot products Schumer has tackled in the past year: Prime: Schumer came out with a warning about the buzziest energy drink of last year, launched by social media stars Logan Paul and KSI. The majority leader called the drink out for its “eye-popping” caffeine levels and demanded the Food and Drug Administration investigate. “PRIME is so new that most parents haven’t a clue about it, but it is born from the reels of social media and the enigmatic world of influencers,” said Schumer in a statement at the time. “One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy — it’s a beverage — but buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.” Note that Schumer has long taken an interest in overly-amped-up beverages. He was among those pushing for a ban of the original Four Loko back in 2010. Zyn: The flavored nicotine pouches have become a mainstay for those trying to cut other, more taboo tobacco products. But Schumer recently called for the FDA to investigate the Philip Morris International product for its marketing and health effects. To be clear, Schumer doesn’t want Zyn banned, just more tightly regulated as it gains popularity with young consumers. But adults also love the product, which prompted Republicans to come out sharply against Schumer, calling his campaign a slippery slope toward a ban. “To be against these pouches is to be against nicotine lozenges. I mean, what’s the difference?” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) at the time. TikTok: It’s a bottomless pit of videos about everything from conspiracy theories to how-to guides on fixing your kitchen sink. It's undeniably addicting, especially to the young’uns. It’s also owned by the China-based company ByteDance, hence the concern from lawmakers. A House-passed bill that would ban TikTok unless ByteDance sells its stake in TikTok drew nationwide ire from the app's most rabid users. On paper, this app would appear to be right in Schumer’s sweet spot. Not only is he famously suspicious of youth crazes, he’s also long been one of Congress’s leading China hawks. But with a decision looming on whether to act in the House’s wake, Schumer is staying uncharacteristically lo-pro. Earlier this week, he told reporters he was still reviewing the legislation and would consult with committee chairs before making a decision. — Daniella Diaz and Ursula Perano   A message from Electronic Payments Coalition: CONVENIENCE STORES ARE RAISING COSTS FOR CONSUMERS: Corporate convenience store chains and their special interest allies are trying to trick Congress into believing that interchange rates on credit card transactions are increasing. The truth: it’s exactly the opposite. Over the last decade, mega-convenience stores have received billions of dollars due to the Durbin Amendment—but haven’t lowered prices for consumers as they promised. Learn more.   GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, March 15, where we’ll absolutely lose it if Schumer ever goes after Celsius. THE DISCHARGE DOWNLOAD We checked in on the two discharge petition efforts targeting Ukraine funding three days after House Democrats and a group of centrists launched side-by-side procedural moves in an effort to force the Ukraine issue to the floor. The Democratic-led petition would force the Senate-passed bill funding Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to the House floor; it has 177 lawmakers signed on, all Democrats. Another petition to advance a compromise bill that would also send aid to those three countries, paired with border security provisions, is led by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and has 14 signatures from centrists on both sides of the aisle. But, but, but: It’s not clear how either petition will pick up the necessary 218 signatures. Some Democrats are resistant to supporting any measure that includes unconditioned aid for Israel; many Republicans, meanwhile, are wary of bucking their leadership or sending taxpayer money abroad. However, if the real point of the discharge petitions is to pressure House leadership to put legislation on the floor, there’s some evidence it’s already working: Speaker Mike Johnson told Olivia yesterday he expects to bring up Ukraine and Israel funding in the coming weeks under suspension of the rules. That’s all part of the plan, some lawmakers suggested. “When you have a speaker who won't do his job and won't bring bills to the floor, you've got to do whatever you can to try and leverage that,” said Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.). — Nicholas Wu   GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE.     WHAT MURKOWSKI’S THINKING ON JUDGES As the White House and Senate Democrats gear up to confirm as many judges as they can before the end of President Joe Biden’s term, one Republican they’ve generally been able to rely on is moderate Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski. But she made clear she shouldn’t be seen as a rubber stamp. On Thursday, for instance, she voted against proceeding with the confirmation of Nicole G. Berner to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. “I want to know that you have had real-world experience when it comes to either being in front of the court or working with the courts at a lower level, particularly for these higher judicial offices,” she told Inside Congress. “I don't care if it's Biden [who] has nominated him or Trump has nominated him or George Bush has nominated him — if they're not qualified, they’re not qualified. They shouldn't be put up there.” Similarly, she said, Americans too often talk about federal judges the wrong way: “I'd like to think that they are not Trump's judges or Obama's judges or Biden's judges.” Overall, she’s voted to confirm about three-quarters of Biden’s 185 Senate-confirmed judges; she voted against 34 and missed votes on 11 others. It underscores the challenge for the White House — that even one of the most gettable GOP votes on judicial picks still tends to oppose a hefty portion of them. As for the future of the “blue slip” — the Senate tradition of effectively requiring the signoff of both home-state senators for district court nominees — Murkowski conceded “we've seen some instances where it's not working very well” but doesn’t support calls to do away with it. “It's good to respect that process,” she said, “but it means that you have to work with one another.” — Anthony Adragna   A message from Electronic Payments Coalition:   HUDDLE HOTDISH We’re going to miss you, Stumpy.   YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics.      QUICK LINKS  Is There Something More Radical than MAGA? J.D. Vance Is Dreaming It., from Ian Ward Trump backs Barrasso for Senate GOP whip, from Zach Montellaro GOP Senate hopeful hits back at ‘sick’ report potentially linking him to adult website, from Ally Mutnick MONDAY IN CONGRESS The House and Senate are out.   A message from Electronic Payments Coalition: CONGRESS: OPPOSE THE DURBIN-MARSHALL CREDIT CARD BILL: Despite vigorous lobbying attempts from corporate convenience store chains and their allies, the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill is deeply unpopular—among both Democrats and Republicans. Credit card routing mandates hurt small businesses by increasing costs, weakening payment security, harming small financial institutions, reducing access to credit for those who need it the most, and ending popular credit card rewards programs. THE CHOICE IS CLEAR: CONGRESS MUST OPPOSE THE DURBIN-MARSHALL CREDIT CARD BILL Learn more.   MONDAY AROUND THE HILL Crickets. TRIVIA THURSDAY’S ANSWER: Andrew Stahovec was the first to correctly guess that the first Capitol Christmas Tree, planted on the West Front Lawn in 1964, was 24 feet tall. TODAY’S QUESTION from your Huddle hosts: Who was the only first lady to give birth to twins? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@politico.com. GET INSIDE CONGRESS emailed to your phone each evening. Follow Daniella on X at @DaniellaMicaela.   Follow us

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